Lifting tool for manhole covers



May 16, 1944. G. w. KlNNER LIF'IING TOOL FOR MANHOLE COVERS Filed July 50, 1943 Patented May 16, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE! LIFTENG TOOL FOR MANHOLE COVERS Giles w. Kinner, Mount'Rainier, Md. Application July 30, 1943, Serial No. 496,826

7 Claims.

This invention relates to a lifting tool for manhole covers and the like.

Workmen in handling manhole covers ofttimes become injured due to the cover swinging around on the. tool, Slipping or falling free of the tool, or being dropped due to the awkward nature of the tool.

The present invention has for its principal ob jects, to provide a tool which may be used with comparative ease to engage and lift a manhole cover form its seat, and then grip the cover more firmly so that it may be handled without danger of injury to workmen, the tool being of rugged yet simplified construction so that it may be manufactured at a relatively'low cost.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages will become apparent in View of the following description taken in conjunction with the drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a tool in accordance with the invention shown in the act of being connected to a manhole cover, the latter being shown partly in section;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the cover partly raised ready for manipulation of the toolto engage the peripheral flange wedge of the cover;

Fig. 3, a fragmentary view showing the tool in final gripping position ready for lifting of the manhole cover completely from its seat;

Fig. 4 is a further fragmentary view showing the position of the tool when the cover has been removed; and

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the tool.

The tool comprises a handle bar or lever, gen-. .erally indicated at 5, having a curved shank 5a terminating at its lower end in a hook 6. Stops in the form of laterally projecting studs or bosses 1 are fixed in or made as part of the shank 5a immediately above the hook 6. The upper extremity of the bar 5 is provided with a handle 8 which may be grasped by both hands of the user in manipulating the tool, or may be grasped by two men if desired.

Mounted on the shank portion 5a of the bar 5 is a bracket 9 which is so shaped and engages the bar in a manner such as to permit the bar to slide up and down in the bracket but at the same time the bar cannot turn or move angularly with respect to the bracket. Accordingly, the bracket is provided with an inbent portion 9a, note Fig. 5, which when the bar is pushed forwardly, functions as an abutment in that it engages the edge of the bar and provides leverage between the bar and bracket. In this connection,

the bosses T coact with the bracket to ensure leverage between the bar and bracket. However, such leverage will result due to engagement of the bracket with the lever irrespective of the bosses 1.

Fixed: in the outer end of the bracket 9 is a downwardly projecting pin or stud l0 adapted to engage in a hole H which is usually formed in manhole covers, one of the latter being indicated at 12. Such covers are also provided with a rim or flange 12a adapted to seat on the edge of the manhole.

In operating the tool, a workman first inserts the pin I!) in the hole II of the manhole cover as illustrated in Fig. 1. He then pushes the lever or handlebar 5 forwardly to exert leverage on the manhole cover and break it loose from its seat, whereupon it may be disposed on the edge of the manhole, note Fig. 2. The next movement is illustrated in Fig. 3 wherein the handlebar has been lowered and the hook 6 engaged beneath the flange or rim l2a of the manhole cover. Fig.

4 illustrates the position of the tool and cover when the latter have been completely removed from the manhole.

In replacing the cover, the tool may be handled in any suitable manner to slide or carry the cover along the surface of the road or pavement to the manhole. I

It will be apparent that the tool is positive in operation and is almost foolproof, since when the pin i0 is inserted in the hole ll, there is a leverage applied to the handlebar 5 which prevents slipping of the cover from the pin. Also, when the handlebar has been engaged with the flange or rim I20, the cover will not turn with respect to the bar due to the fact that the bracket 9 cannot turn on the bar. In actual use, the tool has proved far superior to known tools for this purpose.

The tool consists of a minimum number of parts which may be manufactured at a relatively low cost. Obviously the handlebar 5 should be made of steel or malleable iron or like material which will stand the heavy lifting effort to be applied thereto. This is also true with respect to the bracket 9 and the pin [0, the latter preferably being made of steel in order that it will resist bending due to the leverage applied thereto.

It will be understood that certain limited changes in construction and design may be adopted without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A tool for lifting manhole covers and the like comprising a handlebar or lever having a hook at the lower end thereof, stop members in the form of bosses projecting laterally from the bar immediately above said hook, a bracket member slidably mounted on said bar above said stop members, said bracket being so constructed and arranged as to be slidable but not rotatable with respect. to the, bar and to abut the bar when the latter is rocked from an upright position, and a. rigid pin projecting downwardly from the outer end of the bracket and adapted to engage in the hole of a manhole cover, rocking movement of the handlebar exerting leverage on said pin through said bracket to effect displacement of the manhole cover, whereupon the bar is slid downwardly in said bracket to cause said hook to engage beneath the peripheral portion of the manhole cover and facilitate lifting of the latter.

2. A tool for lifting manhole covers and the like comprising a lever constituting a lifting and carrying bar, said lever having a hook on the lower end thereof, a bracket mounted on said lever above said hook, said bracket being connected to the lever in a manner such as to permit the lever to slide through the bracket while at the same time preventing relative angular movement and only limited tilting movement of the lever with respect to the bracket, a pin secured to said bracket and projecting downwardly and adapted to engage in a hole in the manhole cover, rockin movement of the lever exerting leverage on said pin through said bracket to effect displacement of the manhole cover, whereupon the bar may be slid downwardly in said bracket to cause said hook to engage beneath the peripheral portion of the manhole cover and facilitate lifting of the latter. 3. In combination with a manhole cover having a hole therein, a tool for lifting said cover comprising a lever having a hook at one end thereof, a bracket slidably mounted on said lever above said hook, said bracket having only limited angular and rocking movement with respect to said lever, a pin secured to the other end of said bracket and projecting downwardly for engagement in the hole of the manhole cover, tilting movement of the lever causing said pin to exert leverage on the cover and break the latter loose from its seat, whereupon the lever may be slid downwardly in the bracket to bring the hook in engagement with the peripheral portion of the cover.

4. In combination with a manhole cover having a hole therein, a tool for lifting the cover comprising a lever constituting in effect a handle bar, a hook on one end of said bar, a member slidable on the bar above the hook and engaging the bar in a manner such as to prevent relative turning movement with respect to the bar and also to abut the bar when the latter is moved forwardly or rearwardly with respect to said member, and a pin connected to said member and projecting downwardly for engagement in the hole of the cover, tilting movement of the lever with respect to said member and said pin effecting displacement of the cover, whereupon the lever may be slid downwardly in said member to cause the hook to engage the peripheral portion of the cover.

5. In combination with a manhole cover having a hole therein, a tool for lifting the cover comprising a lever having a hook on one ,end thereof, a stop lug fixed in the bar above the hook, bracket means mounted on said lever above said lug, said bracket means being mounted to slide on the lever but prevented from having any substantial relative turning movementand up and down tilting movement with respect to the lever, a pin connected to said bracket means and projecting downwardly for engagement in the hole of said cover, movement of the lev'er forwardly or rearwardly effecting leverage on the cover through said bracket means, stoplu'g and pin to efiect displacement of the cover from the seat, the lever then being slidable downwardly to bring said hook in engagement with the periphery of the cover. 7

6. A tool for lifting manhole covers comprising a lever having a curved shank portion terminating in a hook, a stop member fixed in the bar above the hook, a bracket slidably mounted on said lever above said stop member, and a pin projecting downwardly from the outer n of said bracket.

7. A tool for lifting manhole coverscomprisr ing a lever having a shank portion terminating in a hook, a member slidable on saidshank portion adjacent said hook, said member being so constructed as to be prevented from turning on said lever and also having only limited tilting movement with respect to the lever, andapin projecting downwardly from the outer end ,of said member. I

GILES W. KINNER. 

